Makes 8 tacos, serving 4. Published May 1, 2002 - Cook's Illustrated.
Tomato sauce is sold in cans in the same aisle that carries canned whole tomatoes. Do not use jarred pasta sauce in its place. We prefer to let diners top their own tacos with whatever fillings they prefer. There’s no need to prepare all of the toppings listed below, but cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes are, in our opinion, essential.
Ingredients
Filling
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or corn oil
1 small onion , chopped small (about 2/3 cup)
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
table salt
1 pound 90% lean ground beef (or leaner) [or ground Turkey, which I prefer]
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons vinegar (preferably cider vinegar)
Ground black pepper
Shells and Toppings
8 taco shells (warmed according to package instructions), or Home-Fried Taco Shells
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces), or Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
2 small tomatoes , chopped small
1/2 cup sour cream
1 avocado , diced medium
1 small onion , chopped small
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco, or salsa
Instructions
1. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, spices, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook, breaking meat up with wooden spoon and scraping pan bottom to prevent scorching, until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, and vinegar; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently and breaking meat up so that no chunks remain, until liquid has reduced and thickened (mixture should not be completely dry), about 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.
2. Using wide, shallow spoon, divide filling evenly among taco shells; place two tacos on individual plates. Serve immediately, passing toppings separately.
Showing posts with label turkey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label turkey. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
The Problem with Roast Turkey
From Cook's Illustrated, November 2008
Roasting a whole turkey is a race to keep the white meat from drying out while the dark meat cooks through. So who says you have to roast it whole?
The Problem
How can you bring dark meat up to temperature and keep the skin crisp without overcooking the white meat?
The Goal
We wanted no less than the perfect turkey recipe—an approach that would get our fowl from supermarket to table in just a few hours. We required meat as moist as prime rib, crisp, crackling skin, and it all needed to be accompanied by rich gravy. For a greater challenge, we wanted to do it without salting the turkey or brining it, both of which take the better part of a day.
The Solution
First, we roasted two non-brined turkeys, one using our standard high-heat method and the other at 275 degrees the entire time. The outer layers of the high-heat breast topped a moisture-obliterating 210 degrees. The exterior of the slow-roasted breast reached 176 degrees and the meat was moist, even without a brine. But the long cooking time and undercooked legs and thighs were still a problem. We knew from past chicken recipes that spreading the legs out from the breast helps them cook faster. Rather than breaking down a whole turkey, we bought a breast and two leg quarters (thighs and drumsticks) and roasted them on a rack over a baking sheet to promote air circulation. After about three hours, the breast reached 160 degrees. Without the insulation from the turkey’s backbone and breast meat, the thighs and drumsticks reached 175 degrees just as the breast finished cooking. The results? Tender, juicy meat. The problem now was the skin. Most recipes achieve crisp skin by starting the bird in a hot oven to brown it, then lowering the heat. But that meant a higher oven temperature, which meant dried-out meat. What if we let the turkey cool before popping it back in the oven to crisp the skin? This turned out a perfect turkey from center to edge surrounded by flawless, crisp skin. For a simple gravy, we roasted a mixture of carrots, celery, onions, and herbs under the turkey with some broth. After straining the vegetables and broth, we used the flavorful liquid as a gravy base.
Slow-Roasted Turkey with Gravy
Serves 10 to 12.
Instead of drumsticks and thighs, you may use 2 whole leg quarters, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds each. The recipe will also work with turkey breast alone; in step 2, reduce the butter to 1 1/2 tablespoons, the salt to 1 1/2 teaspoons, and the pepper to 1 teaspoon. If you are roasting kosher or self-basting turkey parts, season the turkey with only 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
Ingredients
Note: I found it cheapest to just buy an ~12 lb turkey and butcher it into pieces.
3 medium onions , chopped medium
3 medium celery ribs , chopped medium
2 medium carrots , peeled and chopped medium
5 sprigs fresh thyme
5 medium garlic cloves , peeled and halved
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 whole bone-in, skin-on turkey breast (5 to 7 pounds), trimmed of excess fat and patted dry with paper towels (see note)
4 pounds turkey drumsticks and thighs, trimmed of excess fat and patted dry with paper towels (see note)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
1 tablespoon table salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
Gravy
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 bay leaves
Table salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
1. For the Turkey: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Arrange onions, celery, carrots, thyme, and garlic in even layer on rimmed baking sheet. Pour broth into baking sheet. Place wire rack on top of vegetables (rack will rest on vegetables, not on bottom of baking sheet).
2. Brush turkey pieces on all sides with melted butter. Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over turkey. Place breast skin-side down and drumsticks and thighs skin-side up on rack on vegetable-filled baking sheet, leaving at least 1/4 inch between pieces.
3. Roast turkey pieces 1 hour. Using wads of paper towels, turn turkey breast skin-side up. Continue roasting until instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted in thickest part of breast and 170 to 175 degrees in thickest part of thighs, 1 to 2 hours longer. Remove baking sheet from oven and transfer rack with turkey to second baking sheet. Allow pieces to rest at least 30 minutes or up to 1 1/2 hours.
4. For the Gravy: Strain vegetables and liquid from baking sheet through colander set in large bowl. Press solids with back of spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard vegetables. Transfer liquid in bowl to 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Add chicken broth to measuring cup (you should have about 3 cups liquid).
5. In medium saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat; when foaming subsides, add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until flour is dark golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Whisk in broth mixture and bay leaves and gradually bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until gravy is thick and reduced to 2 cups, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Remove gravy from heat and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Keep gravy warm.
6. To Serve: Heat oven to 500 degrees. Place baking sheet with turkey in oven. Roast until skin is golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven, transfer turkey to cutting board, and let rest 20 minutes. Carve and serve, passing warm gravy separately.
Step-by-Step
Slow-Roasted Turkey with Gravy
1. ADD AROMATICS
Aromatics and broth catch drippings and help flavor gravy.
2. ARRANGE MEAT
Arrange turkey on rack set over vegetables to allow air circulation. Roast at 275 degrees.
3. FLIP BREAST
Flip breast partway through cooking to ensure uniform doneness.
4. REST, THEN CRISP
Let turkey rest to allow juices to redistribute before final crisping in 500-degree oven.
5. MAKE GRAVY
Strain vegetables and broth, then use this flavorful liquid as a base for gravy.
Roasting a whole turkey is a race to keep the white meat from drying out while the dark meat cooks through. So who says you have to roast it whole?
The Problem
How can you bring dark meat up to temperature and keep the skin crisp without overcooking the white meat?
The Goal
We wanted no less than the perfect turkey recipe—an approach that would get our fowl from supermarket to table in just a few hours. We required meat as moist as prime rib, crisp, crackling skin, and it all needed to be accompanied by rich gravy. For a greater challenge, we wanted to do it without salting the turkey or brining it, both of which take the better part of a day.
The Solution
First, we roasted two non-brined turkeys, one using our standard high-heat method and the other at 275 degrees the entire time. The outer layers of the high-heat breast topped a moisture-obliterating 210 degrees. The exterior of the slow-roasted breast reached 176 degrees and the meat was moist, even without a brine. But the long cooking time and undercooked legs and thighs were still a problem. We knew from past chicken recipes that spreading the legs out from the breast helps them cook faster. Rather than breaking down a whole turkey, we bought a breast and two leg quarters (thighs and drumsticks) and roasted them on a rack over a baking sheet to promote air circulation. After about three hours, the breast reached 160 degrees. Without the insulation from the turkey’s backbone and breast meat, the thighs and drumsticks reached 175 degrees just as the breast finished cooking. The results? Tender, juicy meat. The problem now was the skin. Most recipes achieve crisp skin by starting the bird in a hot oven to brown it, then lowering the heat. But that meant a higher oven temperature, which meant dried-out meat. What if we let the turkey cool before popping it back in the oven to crisp the skin? This turned out a perfect turkey from center to edge surrounded by flawless, crisp skin. For a simple gravy, we roasted a mixture of carrots, celery, onions, and herbs under the turkey with some broth. After straining the vegetables and broth, we used the flavorful liquid as a gravy base.
Slow-Roasted Turkey with Gravy
Serves 10 to 12.
Instead of drumsticks and thighs, you may use 2 whole leg quarters, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds each. The recipe will also work with turkey breast alone; in step 2, reduce the butter to 1 1/2 tablespoons, the salt to 1 1/2 teaspoons, and the pepper to 1 teaspoon. If you are roasting kosher or self-basting turkey parts, season the turkey with only 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
Ingredients
Note: I found it cheapest to just buy an ~12 lb turkey and butcher it into pieces.
3 medium onions , chopped medium
3 medium celery ribs , chopped medium
2 medium carrots , peeled and chopped medium
5 sprigs fresh thyme
5 medium garlic cloves , peeled and halved
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 whole bone-in, skin-on turkey breast (5 to 7 pounds), trimmed of excess fat and patted dry with paper towels (see note)
4 pounds turkey drumsticks and thighs, trimmed of excess fat and patted dry with paper towels (see note)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
1 tablespoon table salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
Gravy
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 bay leaves
Table salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
1. For the Turkey: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Arrange onions, celery, carrots, thyme, and garlic in even layer on rimmed baking sheet. Pour broth into baking sheet. Place wire rack on top of vegetables (rack will rest on vegetables, not on bottom of baking sheet).
2. Brush turkey pieces on all sides with melted butter. Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over turkey. Place breast skin-side down and drumsticks and thighs skin-side up on rack on vegetable-filled baking sheet, leaving at least 1/4 inch between pieces.
3. Roast turkey pieces 1 hour. Using wads of paper towels, turn turkey breast skin-side up. Continue roasting until instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted in thickest part of breast and 170 to 175 degrees in thickest part of thighs, 1 to 2 hours longer. Remove baking sheet from oven and transfer rack with turkey to second baking sheet. Allow pieces to rest at least 30 minutes or up to 1 1/2 hours.
4. For the Gravy: Strain vegetables and liquid from baking sheet through colander set in large bowl. Press solids with back of spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard vegetables. Transfer liquid in bowl to 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Add chicken broth to measuring cup (you should have about 3 cups liquid).
5. In medium saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat; when foaming subsides, add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until flour is dark golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Whisk in broth mixture and bay leaves and gradually bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until gravy is thick and reduced to 2 cups, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Remove gravy from heat and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Keep gravy warm.
6. To Serve: Heat oven to 500 degrees. Place baking sheet with turkey in oven. Roast until skin is golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven, transfer turkey to cutting board, and let rest 20 minutes. Carve and serve, passing warm gravy separately.
Step-by-Step
Slow-Roasted Turkey with Gravy
1. ADD AROMATICS
Aromatics and broth catch drippings and help flavor gravy.
2. ARRANGE MEAT
Arrange turkey on rack set over vegetables to allow air circulation. Roast at 275 degrees.
3. FLIP BREAST
Flip breast partway through cooking to ensure uniform doneness.
4. REST, THEN CRISP
Let turkey rest to allow juices to redistribute before final crisping in 500-degree oven.
5. MAKE GRAVY
Strain vegetables and broth, then use this flavorful liquid as a base for gravy.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
SOUTHWESTERN TURKEY AND BLACK BEAN SOUP
4 servings
2 - 15 to 16 ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained
3 cups (or more) Basic Turkey Stock (see recipe) or canned low salt chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup diced red bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 cup drained canned diced tomatoes
1 cup diced cooked turkey
1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeno chili
Puree 2 cups black beans and 1 cup turkey stock in processor. Set aside.
Heat oil in large Dutch oven over low heat. Add onions and bell pepper; saute until onions are golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cumin and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes, bean mixture and remaining whole blackbeans. Gradually add 2 cups stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are very tender and soup is slightly thickened,about 20 minutes. Thin soup with more stock, if desired. Add turkey and jalapeno and simmer just until heated through.
Season with salt and pepper.
Bon Appetit November 1994
2 - 15 to 16 ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained
3 cups (or more) Basic Turkey Stock (see recipe) or canned low salt chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup diced red bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 cup drained canned diced tomatoes
1 cup diced cooked turkey
1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeno chili
Puree 2 cups black beans and 1 cup turkey stock in processor. Set aside.
Heat oil in large Dutch oven over low heat. Add onions and bell pepper; saute until onions are golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cumin and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes, bean mixture and remaining whole blackbeans. Gradually add 2 cups stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are very tender and soup is slightly thickened,about 20 minutes. Thin soup with more stock, if desired. Add turkey and jalapeno and simmer just until heated through.
Season with salt and pepper.
Bon Appetit November 1994
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